i think if you looked at the first term of the obama administration, president obama -- it was quite natural for him to pick then-senator clinton to be secretary of state and keep bob gates on as secretary of defense. i think in the second term, he is not running for re-election. he will pick somebody he is comfortable with, which is senator haggel and senator kerry. i do think one has to ask why the president is willing to make a fight in the nomination over secretary hagel as opposed to susan rice. i think steve would agree to this, one of the things that should be done in the hearings for the nomination is give much more clarity about where this administration is going. it is all fine and good to talk about the limits of power. everybody should understand our limits to power. that can be an excuse for not exercising power. i think that debate can be useful when put on the table when talking about senator hagel. >> hear the table, gary schmitt, the co-director for the -- and steve clemons the editor at large @ "the atlantic." we will get your comments in just a moment. i want to po